Which statistical test is routinely employed in classical genetics to determine whether the observed frequencies of phenotypic progeny deviate significantly from expected Mendelian ratios?
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: B. Chi-square test of goodness of fit
- Step 1: In genetic crosses, random sampling error causes observed counts to differ slightly from theoretical Mendelian expectations.
- Step 2: The chi-square () goodness of fit test calculates , where is observed and is expected.
- Step 3: Comparing the calculated to critical values at with degrees of freedom determines whether deviation is due to chance or true biological distortion (such as linkage or lethal genes).
Answer
Chi-square test of goodness of fit ( test).
Why not the others: Student's t-test compares means of two continuous variables; ANOVA compares means across three or more continuous groups; Spearman rank correlation measures monotonic associations between ranked variables.
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